Denver/Lake Norman Rotary welcomed at its meeting on Wednesday, March 30^th as its speaker. Skip worked 41 years for Duke Energy in both the US and Canada. His career involved the building or upgrading of power plants. Skip has been married to his wife Shasta for 46 years, and together they have three children and four grandsons.

Skip and Shasta have been involved with the LCCADV (Lincoln County Coalition Against Domestic Violence) and Amy’s House since 2011. Shasta served on its Board of Directors for nine years. Skip served as an Interim Executive Director for a year when the founding ED became sick with leukemia and then became a part to the board when Shasta rotated off. Skip is on the Board of Directors in the position of Facility Committee Chair

The mission of the LCCADV is to give shelter to those who need it the most. It is also to provide an alternative to living in a violent situation and to offer the education or resources necessary for survivors to make healthier choices for themselves and their families.

In the early 1990’s a teacher at a local Lincolnton school was asked to find out about the domestic abuse in Lincoln County. She did research and determined that there was a need for domestic violence help. She posted her telephone number on the inside page of the Lincoln County telephone book. Then along with four other women, she started the Lincoln County Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In 1993 the LCCADV was organized by citizens who were concerned about domestic violence issues. It is a 501c(3) non-profit offering shelter, support, services and assistance to individuals and families who are survivors of abuse. Two hundred-year-old mill houses were purchased in an undisclosed location to support the LCCADA. One house was used to house the office and the second house became known as Amy’s House which was used to support the survivors that were brought there. These houses are still in use and the can manage up to sixteen survivors at a time. Stays may last one night or up to ninety days. Help is given in preparing resumes, filling our government paperwork and other items needed to return to an improved living situation.

In 2013, Amy’s Closet was opened in Denver. There was also a non-profit thrift store that sold new and gently used clothing, with the profit going to help support the houses. In 2016 a second store was opened in the downtown area of Lincolnton. These stores were able to operate due to the volunteers and the community, and of course the shoppers who visited the stores. The profits for these stores have helped to keep Amy’s House open and ready to accept survivors of domestic violence. The LCCADV is currently working towards one of the coalition’s goals, to open a new shelter. This shelter would house 35 beds for those in need.

Many thanks to Skip and his wife Shasta, for putting their time and work in for such a worthy cause. I have personally known two women who had to seek the safety of a domestic violence shelter. Both were very appreciative of the help that they received in that very dark period in their life.

To learn more about the Lincoln County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, go to www.lincolncounty-cadv.org.